As I sit here idling away the time that I ought to be using for sleeping, my mind wanders to the meaning of it all - I mean, is there any future now? The TA has gone, in all but name, and thats about to go too. The remnants of the old guard are now implicated in reaping the new from the young and unaware who are merely targetted on being trained and then deployed.

How long before the RTCs assume even more importance and trainees are held in holding Battalions prior to mobilisation? On return they then just enter a FORM cycle which would explain the Training in the COE paper....thus no Officers required.

1. Today's bone but not Wah question; what is the current "full strength" of the Regular Army meant to be?

2. From article: David Hollas, commander of recruitment in the East of England, said: 'It made us very busy over Christmas. Unfortunately many who showed an interest were unsuitable: either too lazy, too unfit or with a bad attitude.' I think that describes me to a fault, yet they let me serve for 32 years...

I take your points about this having a negative impact on the TA, but I will point out that we now have a major bulge in the Army and this will cause its own problems!

1. The recruiting organisation is flat out. It is pulling in experienced soldiers from the Field Force to cope with the bulge. That leaves gaps in the ORBAT that can best (only?) be filled by the TA.

2. For some time, the training organisation has been filling its administrative posts with TA soldiers. They are doing a good job and don't suffer the churn that the Regulars do (from op tours and for career reasons). That will continue.

3. The bulge will take a long time to hit the Field Army. Even a basic infantry soldier needs time in the training organisation to pick up the skills he needs. Some of the Sapper, R Sigs and REME courses take much, much longer.

4. Most of the soldiers joining now (in the bulge) will be gone in 4 year's time. The great majority of soldiers only serve four years anyway, and as the economy picks up and they realise that their promotion prospects are reduced by the very same bulge, they will sign off.

Don't panic; take the long view. This is only a sign of the times and a symptom of the wider malaise within the economy.